Immerse yourself in the creation of content, software and hardware for virtual, augmented and mixed realities. This transdisciplinary program prepares you for a wide variety of careers in emerging media through connections to industry and community partners in the curriculum.
The MS program in digital culture with a concentration in extended reality technologies focuses on the development of innovative tools and methodologies for extended reality and immersive technologies, including simulation, visualization, interaction, computer vision, human-computer interaction, experience design, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Students develop a fundamental understanding of how emerging media technologies can be used to create virtual worlds that simulate the existing world alongside entirely new ones. In addition, students develop skills in programming languages and software applications necessary to these production workflows, and they have the ability to manage projects, work effectively in collaborative teams, transform research into creative and technological products, and reflect upon the ethical, cultural and social frameworks within which their work occurs.
This program is unique among emerging media programs through the application of these technologies and practices in socially engaged and transdisciplinary modalities, taking tools that evolved primarily from and for entertainment and applying them to the modeling of real-world challenges and futures.
At A Glance
Digital Culture (Extended Reality Technologies), MS
- Offered by: Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
Plan of study
The Plan of study is the required curriculum to complete this graduate level program.
Degree requirements
Required Core (9 credit hours)
AME 520 Understanding Activity (3)
AME 530 Experiential Media Studies I (3)
AME 532 Media Synthesis (3)
Concentration (12 credit hours)
AME 550 Prototyping Futures (3)
AME 551 Designing Extended-Reality Experiences (3)
GIT 550 Digital Workflow in the Graphics Industry (3)
HDA 581 Emerging Media Colloquium (3)
Electives (6 credit hours)
Other Requirements (3 credit hours)
AME 584 Internship (3)
AME 590 Reading and Conference (3)
AME 592 Research (3)
HDA 580 Practicum (3)
Culminating Experience (3 credit hours)
AME 593 Applied Project (3)
Additional Curriculum Information
For other requirements, students must complete a minimum of 3 credit hours of faculty-led research (AME 592), individualized instruction (AME 590), the design and implementation of public programs (HDA 580), or an internship (AME 584).
Admission requirements
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in media arts, engineering, design or a related field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- three letters of recommendation
- letter of intent
- professional resume
- portfolio
- writing sample
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of current residency.
In the letter of intent, applicants should detail their professional goals and the alignment of those goals with the program.